


The smell of Dahlias

by LadyAhiru



Series: Bard&Cat Verse [2]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, First Meeting, Fluff, Lil´ Bleater more like little Shit, Love at first sight-ish, fae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:34:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24248146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAhiru/pseuds/LadyAhiru
Summary: Eskel meets a Nymph in the woods
Relationships: Eskel (The Witcher)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Bard&Cat Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748977
Comments: 24
Kudos: 176





	The smell of Dahlias

**Author's Note:**

> This is a companion piece to "A Bard and a Cat walk into a Keep" and will only make sense after Chapter 10 of the main fic.

* * *

It had been a calm day, well at least weather-wise. Lately, the overall mood at Kaer Morhen had been anything but calm. Eskel had made one of his monthly trips back to the keep, making sure that Vesemir was tending well to his goats and making sure that Lil´ Bleater could play with her friends for a few days when Geralt had arrived.

He had been in an even fouler mood than last winter if that was even possible, and he had only come to the keep because of an injury that needed treatment. Eskel didn’t even dare to ask him about the bard, the look in Geralts eyes answer enough.

He hadn’t met Jaskier in person yet but the last years Geralt had talked about him in great length, until last winter when he had come home alone and with a sadness clinging to him that was almost physical visible. He and Lambert had both tried to cheer their brother up but whatever had happened between Geralt and his travelling companion left a deep hole in his heart.

The last few days had been horrible and he had jumped at the opportunity to go on a long hunt to replenish the keeps stocks of meat, eager to get away from Geralt for a while and using Lil´ Bleaters need for exercise as an excuse.

He was glad that Scorpio didn’t mind pulling the small cart through the woods. He had been very successful so far and had caught two deer and a boar during his hunt and now he was on the lookout for sweet summer berries and herbs.

He listened to the noises of the forest and looked up just in time to see Lil´ Bleater trying to catch a butterfly running deeper into the woods and vanishing from his eyesight.

Cursing he got up from where he had been plucking nettle and ran after his favourite goat. Panic flooded the Witcher when he couldn’t find her right away but thankfully after running for ten minutes, he could hear her happy munching from farther in.

He quickly forced his way between the thick undergrowth and surprisingly found himself in an open clearing full of beautiful coloured flowers. Hundreds of them surrounded a thick tree that stood proud in the middle. He found Lil´ Bleater happily chewing some of those flowers.

“You are a menace, little one.” he chuckled and went to pick his companion up when suddenly dozen of roots shut up the earth and formed a wooden cage around the goat. Her scared scream startled him and he drew his Steel sword to hack the roots away when a deep but warm voice stopped him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Witcher.”

He quickly turned, sword in hand and watched in wonder as the tree came to live, opening in the middle and a woman formed out of the tree. She didn’t have feet, her lower body still emerged with the tree but the rest of her body looked like that of a human woman. Her skin was a mixture of pale greens and her long brown hair waved softly behind her shoulders. The same flowers that grew around the tree grew in her hair and she had wood-like looking Antlers and the most intense green eyes that Eskel had ever seen.

Now he was not stupid, well versed in fact in the lore of different creatures and he correctly assumed that he was dealing with some sort of Fae. He took a careful step back, making sure not to disturb any more flowers and bowed. “My Lady, I am terribly sorry that we have disturbed your…grove.”

Her glare got even more intense as she looked him up and down. “Your animal has eaten my brethren.” Shit, that was bad indeed. Eskel nervously rubbed his hands together unsure how to proceed to get him and Lil´ Bleater out in one piece.

“You took some of mine…so I will take some of yours.” Her body extended out of the tree, hovering over him. She grabbed his cheek with one hand, her sharp spiked nails scratching over his skin and he tried not to move. Whatever she wanted he would give if it meant she would stare at him like this for longer. He felt like she stared right into his very soul and braced himself for an attack that never came. Instead, she brought her face closer to his and carefully, like a whisper, she kissed him.

Surprised Eskel felt himself gasp and the Wood Nymph claimed the opportunity to gently dip her tongue into his mouth. She tasted like warm honey and strawberries and without thinking Eskel wove his hands into her hair, right at the base of the antlers.

He could hear her make a satisfying sound, almost a sigh, before she retreated from him, ignoring his outstretched arms that followed her. “Now take your goat and leave this place.”

The roots around Lil´ Bleater vanished back into the ground and she immediately jumped at him to be picked up.

“Can I see you again?” Eskel asked before the thought had even clearly formed in his head as he absentmindedly licked over his lips, the taste of honey still lingering. The Nymphs green eyes turned a bit warmer as she slowly disappeared into the tree.

The wind slowly picked up, tickling at Eskels ears like a soft whisper. “Spring, find me in Spring Witcher.” He smiled as her face faded away and made his way back to Scorpio, his goat in his arms and his heart full of promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Look guys, my boy Eskel deserves some love too;) Let me know if you want to know where this is going.


End file.
